The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-03-17

CAPT EADs. boats and electrical
..oeipes He used 10 spend much time with
a. family clock, greatly 10 the dismay Of hiS
eo.bsr mo- doubt. and when he was II he
.,,H mil patent lever watch in pieces
clean and repair il, with all the SIKH OF an eN-
periencci jeweler.
When he was 10 years Of age his father
met with financial reverses and the boy was
forced 10 leave school and prepare to WIN his
hreod and his way in life by his unaided
,rorts That same year 1888 the family
.,,r, IN II Iouis The steamer in which
,bov Travelled burned in the night during the
rim and Young Eads landed in st. Louis
,,iibout coat or shoes on the very spot now
covered by the abutments of the great steel
bridoe which be many years afterward de
signed and put up
souir,, auples on the streets was the way
betooy 10 make a living, for no other occu-
nation presented itself for a long time, and in
tbis wav be not only supported himself but
contributed considerably TO the maintenance
,fbis mother and sisters After "a while he
built diving bell boat for the purpose oil re,
,orc,vle the cargoes of sunken steamers, and
Iotsr n company was formed and soon It's
bu,ine.s extended over the entire river from
kaIIIe TO trilcuds anu ~ Aii'iir'' Wv INV
IF its tributaries.
THE following very characteristic anecdote
,f Can't Eads is taken from an admirable
sketch of his life published about a year ago
I'M The Popular Science Monthly:
.HI, first undertakings in the peculiar and
instructive study of hydraulics occurred while
ho was constructing the first diving bell boat
mot then completed A barge loaded with
g nj. .fl.I "a.
ur5n the rapids of the Mississippi river, near
Ke5kuk. i'm fifteen feet Of water contract
wssmade for the recovery of this lead. lie
bad had no experience whatever with the
submarine armor or diving apparatus OF any
Kind. but, engaging a diver from the lakes
who was familiar with it, with am armor,
an air pump and q sailor sklltu! IN
the use of rigging, he started-at thaJ
time only % years Of age-to the scene OF the
wreck Obtaining a barge, this was promptly
anchored over it and prepare ions made Ior
the diver % go to work; but the current was
found So exceedingly rapid that it was im-
possible TO use the armor with any safety. A
halt around the divers waist was attached by
"a cord 10 the bow of the boat to hold him
gpainst the current. and ladder procured
ON which the diver undertook TO descend, bat
If was impossible for him To control his body
In the current. Determined mott be batlied,
Mr. Eads Immediately visited the town OF
Keokuk and purchased a forty gallon whisky
barrel with which To improvise a diving bell.
Wuhseveral pigs of lead secured around one
end of the barrel by n network of ropes, and
with that head taken ont, a block and tackle
attached to the network at the other end and
a temporary derrick erected, he was soon pre-
pared TO commence the recovery OF the cargo
BuC the diver demurred and would not de
scend i'm this dangerous looking apparatus
Mr. Eads then set an example which he ha
followed throughout ali his varied experience
AZ an engineer, which was never u
ask man i'm his employ to go where be wa
unwilling TO trust his own life. The bell thu
suspended was held against the current 10y
rope which led up 10 the bow Of the barge
and a strap across the lower end OF the barre
was used as the seat for the diver IN 1t
He at once got into the diving bell and VI
dered his men TO lower him down. He had
trace chain attached b a lead line, the lowe
end Of the trace chain having ring IN IT, AM
with this he was readily enabled 20 form
loop which was placed over one OF the pig
OF lead. and at given signal 1t was hoste'
I'D A small cord suiiiced TO draw 1t back L
him while he was stiu in the bell; and IN TIN
manner a number of pigs weighing seVeht.
pounds each were recovered before he starte'
20 come uD-the air pump all the time supply
Ing him with air But in the mean time
having cleared the space beneath the bell, TN
guy line moved it farther and farther al
stream IN compliance with his signals, ant
instead Of the line being Stacked on
again when bis men commenced raising tn
bell. 10 was held 50 far forward that the der
rick capszed, having 10 guy TO hold 1t IN TN
opposite direction His assistants seized Tn
block and tackle and pulled the whisky barre
up % the surface Of the water by hand Bu
it was 50 weighted with the lead around l
that they could not raise it higher. Not know
ing what was the matter, he waited patiently
tbs air pump running with redoubled velocity
supplying him with plenty Of air. lie sool
saw the fingers Of a man under the chime
tho barrel, and recognizing this as an inyi
tation, he seized the, mans hand and got Gu
from under the barrel, much to the delight o
all on board. The derrick was then secures
against any possible catastrophe occurring
again, and, after number Of successful trip
70 the bottom, the diver was content TO o.
the remainder of the work"
OF his Mississippi river improvements hi
achievements building gunboats on short no
tce during The war, the building OF the grea
bridge over the Father Of Waters at 81
Louis, and his ship railway scheme, which ]
still undeveloped, besides other great en-
cheering leats, the reading world IS alread,
well informed IL is now thought that tn
ship railway scheme will fall through. IL
leaves wife and daughter.